


Chance

by Imp_Overlord



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Post-Canon, Safe Haven, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 22:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14412165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imp_Overlord/pseuds/Imp_Overlord
Summary: “Maybe it’s too much to ask for, but can you tell me? About him?”





	Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read. English isn't my native language.

 

 

„Why are you saying that? I think I have a chance!“

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was seven years ago when they finally reached their safe haven. The place changed a lot in those years, the only thing remaining the same the stone with all those names carved in. They all adjusted to their new life somehow. Built new homes, found new families, even something similar to jobs, like in the Glade a long time ago.

They went back to the scorch a few times, searching for other survivors and scrap to recycle, so their community grew and some strangers became lovers, became family. And soon they were in need for someone to teach and care for children, for real houses instead of makeshift huts with hammocks. They overcame the state of pure survival and started to really live again. Forming a thriving community. One could dare to say they were happy even.

It took Thomas the longest of times of them all to adapt, even now he still needed more time for himself, time just spent alone somewhere, always seeming a little more distant, more guarded than anyone else, only really opening up to Minho and Brenda, because they already knew his pain and there was no need to explain.

Once his physical wounds were fully healed he started working at the safe haven by helping Frypan, but he was a miserable cook, so he tried other things. Fishing, gardening, carpentering and he was always the first one to go back to the scorch and search for more people and resources when it was decided to go on a scout again, secretly hoping for a miracle every single time.

But in the end he found a liking in teaching. Thomas was good with children, they adored him and he smiled and laughed, taking every single on of them in his heart. Those children were curious, full of love for life, asking hundreds of questions, in awe of the world.

And he could do that too, seeing the good things in life, the beauty of the world, the bright, saturated colours when they asked him about pretty flowers and butterflies, about all the fish in the ocean, how it comes that the sky is so beautifully sparkling at night. For them he learned to look at it again, explaining the constellations the blonde boy once showed him, before shushing them back to bed, smiling until the last one closed the door behind them, not letting them see how he looked up at the night sky again, feeling hollow and so terribly lonely.

 

There was a another girl around teaching the children, Lare. They found her nearly starved to death alone in the scorch three years ago and saved her. Ever since she regained her health she helped with their provisional education program, said she always wanted to work with kids. They got along quite well, became almost something like friends over time.

 

“How do you remember all those constellations?” she asked suddenly.

Thomas didn’t answer at first, taking a long breath, sighing before finally saying “Some things just take a hold in one’s head I guess.”, sadness lingering in his voice.

“I guess… it’s nice though, the kids, they love it.”

A small smile flashed over Thomas face at that, still staring at the stars. “Yeah, yeah they do.”

With that he turned to Lare, waved her goodbye and went off to his own little makeshift hut. Gally had offered several times to built him a better one or renovate the old, but Thomas always declined, not seeing the point when he wouldn’t really feel at home either way.

 

 

 

 

“Tommy!”, “Tommy look at this!” “Hey, I found it, I wanna show him!” “But I caught it, I get to show him!” Five little youngsters ambushed Thomas at breakfast, all eager to show him some bug they found in the grass, every one of them wanting to be the one to do it, the biggest smiles across their faces.

Lare watched the scene from afar, sitting next to her best friend, feeling her heart growing in her chest at this adorable sight.

“Tommy is so lovely, just look at him, even this early in the morning playing and teaching, never to tired to make their day the best.”

“Don’t call him that.” she heart someone snarl behind them.

“Don’t call him what?”

“Tommy. Don’t call him Tommy.”

“Why not? Look at them, they’re all calling him Tommy too, why shouldn’t I.”

“Because you’re not a kid, shuckface.” and with that he walked away, leaving the girls behind with a confused look on their faces.

“Don’t give a shit about what Gally says, everybody know he’s not the most pleasant person to be around. Something probably pissed him off and he used the first thing he could to let some steam off. Don’t think about that prick.” Her friend was the first one to react, grumpy, not even considering to listen to what Gally said.

 

 

 

 

A few days later Lare stood at the beach, taking a break from her work and watching Thomas teaching the oldest children how to swim in a shallow part of the ocean. She sighed, thinking about how she could approach him, making clear that they maybe could have something, something more. Some kind of relationship further than just colleagues or friends. But Thomas was always so guarded if it got personal or slightly intimate, he always backed off, giving vague answers to every questions she asked, leading every talk into another direction as soon as it just slightly scratched the surface of his past. She thought that she just had to be more persistent, showing how much she cared.

Thomas seemed to have his swimming lesson finished, sending the kids back to grab their lunch, slowly walking behind them. Lare hurried across the beach, to catch up with him.

“You did a great job their Tommy.”

He flinched at the use of the nickname, but so barely visible, that Lare didn’t catch it.

“Thanks.”

“Do you want to grab some lunch with me together?”

“I’m sorry but I’m really tired and need some time on my own.” his response was somewhat cold and he quickly increased his pace, grabbed something to eat and sat down under a tree far from the fireplace where everyone else was eating.

Lare stopped walking, confused by his cold demeanour.

 

“Hey, don’t take it so hard on yourself, it’s nothing really personal. You just didn’t have had a chance from the beginning.” she heard Minho say behind her, his voice soft and reassuring.

“What?”

“I saw you pining for him several times, I know he is a great guy and seeing him with those little fellas must melt every girls heart. But you don’t have a chance and there’s nothing you can do about that.” Minho smiled sadly looking over to Thomas.

“Why are you saying that? I think I have a chance!”, raising her voice at Minho, the way he said it so taken for granted made her body heat up, “I just need to be patient, slowly breaking down Tommy’s walls! I'm sure I can get through to him.” Minho looked at her now, making a discontent face at the use of the nickname. “And why is everybody so damn sensitive about this name?! Nobody bats an eye when all the kids literally scream it around the whole place, but when I use it everybody is loosing it!”

“You see, that’s the difference, you’re not a kid.” - “Yeah, that’s what Gally said too.” she mumbled angrily, trying to calm down and not make much more of a scene out of this conversation, as she saw some of the other looking over to them already.

Minho looked a little bit astonished by the mention of Gally, but continued talking, “Thomas loves those kids, he couldn’t deny them anything. But there is already someone Thomas belongs to and that’s the only person who gets to call him Tommy.”

Lare was taken by surprise. “I have never seen him around with anyone like that...” - “That’s because he died before we reached safe haven.”

She needed a minute to take the information in and regain her composure, then asked cautiously “But… can’t he get over it? I don’t want to sound heartless, but seven years is a long time to grieve. Opening up to someone new and trying to love again would be healthy, don’t you think?”

Minho smiled at her, somehow admiring her determination.“I don’t think one can get over a love like that, but he stopped grieving, I’m sure you have seen it, he opened up again, started to love again. You see it every time he spends his time with those little buggers, he loves them, that’s why they can call him Tommy. It’s a different kind of love, but love nonetheless and they mean everything to him. But you can’t ask him to start to love again like he loved before, because I don’t think he ever stopped loving him in the first place.”

Lare took in a deep breath, fully overwhelmed by this declaration paired with her own sadness. “Okay.. okay.. I got it. I’ll try to be a better friend from now. I can’t grasp the whole thing yet, but I promise I will.”

“I’m glad you understand.”, and with that Minho walked off, trying to get some leftover lunch.

 

Even though Lare didn’t really understand, she decided to not push the matter any further.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Another year at the safe haven had passed and Lare found herself sitting next to Thomas at the campfire after an especially exhausting but blissfully happy day going on a hike with the children. He looked tired, but genuinely pleased.

“I think you’re a natural, nobody can handle those children with so much love and patience like you can, Tommy.”

She saw him stiffen at the use of the nickname, regretting the unconscious use of it immediately.

“I’m sorry Thomas, after spending all day with those little devils it kinda just slipped of my tongue, I didn’t mean to.” They were quiet for a while, both not knowing what to say. Lare gathered all her courage to speak again. “Maybe it’s too much to ask for, but can you tell me? About him?”, her voice was soft and small and you could hear it slightly shaking.

Thomas stopped breathing for a moment, fiddling with the capsule on his necklace, not having expected such a request, before he finally started to speak, his voice shaking in the beginning. Once started he talked for hours about his Newt, his lovely, lovely Newt. How Newt always believed in him, cared for everything and everyone with his big heart, always supporting him but not taking any shit, and in the end Newt always got his back no matter what. How he always made him smile and didn’t let him give up hope, how Newt was the glue for everyone and his personal reassuring anchor, his own safe haven. He talked about the Glade where it all started and their time in the Scorch and how it all came down to that moment where Thomas himself had to end a life nobody should have ended, not bothering to wipe away the tears falling down his face or trying to stop himself from sobbing, his voice from cracking. His heart was aching and his body longing for someone he will never be able to touch again.

Everyone at the campfire got quiet and listened, not daring to interrupt this scarce moment of openness, the rare sight of so much relentless love and deep hurting alike in Thomas eyes.

Just Minho, Frypan, Brenda, Sonya and Gally threw in some of their own memories of Newt from time to time, remembering their friend fondly.

 

 

This night Lare went to bed, looking over her shoulder to see Thomas do his evening routine of looking after the kids, making sure everyone is asleep safe and sound before he goes to sleep himself, finally understanding that one does not simply stop loving the love of their life, even if they died long ago.

 

And that sometimes life gives you a second chance, just not always in the way you thought it would.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is the first story I've ever written in my entire life (if you don't count the 300 word story I wrote when I was fourteen), but I got so inspired by all those stories on here that I just had to write one myself.  
> I hope it isn't too bad and some of you could enjoy reading at least a little. I'm aware that there must be a lot of mistakes, languagewise and storytellingwise, because I'm not a writer and not much of a creative person. But I just thought it wouldn't hurt to upload, so here it is.


End file.
